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Macmillan and Cancerbackup merged in 2008. Together we provide free, high quality information for people affected by cancer through our publications, website and phone service. Find out more|.
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If chemotherapy| is used, it’s usually applied directly to the skin cancer as a cream or lotion – this is called topical chemotherapy.
Usually a drug called 5-fluorouracil| (Efudix®), which is commonly known as 5FU, is used. You will be asked to put the cream on at home. Your doctor or specialist nurse will explain how to do this.
The chemotherapy cream is usually applied once or twice a day for a number of weeks. If possible, a waterproof dressing should be put over the cream, although it can sometimes be difficult to put a dressing on some areas of the body.
The treatment should make the skin red and inflamed. Once the area becomes sore and weepy, the treatment will need to be stopped. Your doctor can prescribe a steroid cream to reduce the inflammation if it’s too sore. The skin will take a week or two to heal after the treatment has finished.
Exposure to the sun can make the inflammation worse, so you should protect the area until it has healed. Usually there are no other side effects with this type of chemotherapy.
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